Amb la votació d’avui al PE, la Tonyina Vermella té alguna possibilitat de sobreviure
Després de mesos de debats, discussions, informes, propostes i contrapropostes, la votació d’avui al PE en relació a la inclusió de la Tonyina Vermella a l’Apèndix I de CITES suposa un ENORME pas endavant en favor de la salvació de l’Espècie i de tanta gent que en viu directament o indirecta. Malgrat els intents d’alguns col.legues per desvirtuar la proposta, el misstage és clar: El Parlament Europeu demana formalment a la Comissió i al Consell que en la propera reunió de CITES, a Doha (Qatar), votin a favor de la proposta de Mònaco de prohibir el comerç internacional de la Tonyina Vermella. Més clar impossible.
La presidència espanyola del Consell, a través de la Secretària d’Estat de Comerç, Iranzo Gutiérrez (recordo que l’Estat espanyol és l’únic país dels considerats directament concernits que encara no s’ha pronunciat a favor de la proposta), va dir dilluns a Estrasburg que estava esperant la decisió de la Comissió. Per la seva banda, la nova Comissària de Pesca, Maria Damanaki, qui pren el relleu de Joe Borg (qui formalment s’oposava a la proposta monegasca), ha dit aquesta setmana que estava a l’espera de què decidís el Parlament Europeu. Doncs bé, ara ja sabem què diu el PE. Toca a la Comissió i al Consell ser coherents i escoltar el clam democràtic.
Bluefin tuna: EU Parliament demands bluefin
tuna trade ban
The EU Parliament plenary in Strasbourg today
adopted a resolution (1) that calls on the EU Commission and Member States to
support a ban on the international trade of the endangered bluefin tuna. This
would be achieved if the species is listed in Appendix 1 of CITES (2) at a
meeting in Doha, Qatar next month.
Raül Romeva, Greens/EFA Group Vice-president
and EU Parliament rapporteur for the bluefin tuna issue, commented:
“I am delighted that the European
Parliament has backed a ban on the international trade in bluefin tuna. The
tide of political opinion might finally be turning against the bluefin tuna’s
slide towards extinction. It is incomprehensible that it has taken so many
years for politicians to listen to the scientific evidence, but at least it is
finally happening.
The EU has supported fishing quotas that are
double the level advised by scientists and has even subsidised bluefin tuna
fishing fleets to the tune of €34.5 million. (3) On the new Commission’s first
full day in office, Parliament has sent a crystal clear message that it’s high
time to back an international trade ban for this species. This is the only
option that will give bluefin tuna stocks some kind of chance to recover.”
Notes to editors:
(1) The critical amendment on CITES Appendix 1
listing was passed with 447 votes
in favour, 205 against
(2) Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora.(3) European Commission figures for 2000-2009, provided in response to a
written request from Raül Romeva. See the December 2009 press release.
Font Foto: Greenpeace
Brussels, 10 February 2010 – The European
Parliament today confirmed its support for stricter protection of the
endangered bluefin tuna. The Parliament urged the European Commission and EU
member states to support listing bluefin tuna under appendix 1 of the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), effectively
calling for a suspension of the fishery.
Greenpeace EU oceans policy director Saskia Richartz
said: “The Parliament has now added its voice to a growing list of calls to
save bluefin tuna. The Commission has been astonishingly silent on the issue so
far. Its dithering demonstrates shocking indecision just ahead of a major
reform of EU fisheries policy.”
In recent weeks a growing number of
governments, institutions, scientists and stakeholders have declared their
support for a suspension in the international bluefin tuna trade. Among these
the government of France (which has one of the biggest European quotas), Italy,
the CITES secretariat and an expert panel from the Food and Agriculture
Organisation. Scientists from the International Commission for the Conservation
of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) have also warned that this species is in danger of
extinction.
The EU is expected to adopt a formal position
on bluefin tuna before the CITES meeting in Doha on 13-25 March.
Scientists estimate that, at most, only 15% of
the original tuna stock is left in the sea. About 80% of catches by EU
fishermen go to the lucrative and sushi-hungry Japanese market. Most fish are
caught in the Mediterranean spawning grounds by large industrial ships, making
it harder for small-scale fishermen to compete. With large adult bluefin tuna
becoming increasingly rare, one single fish weighing 201 kilograms (444 pounds)
was sold for a staggering $173,600 on the Tokyo fish market in January 2001.